Boars Tusk Literary Journal

Note: To submit, scroll to the bottom of the page.

  • Before you do, check out our recent issues and prize-winning work.
  • We offer prizes for fiction, poetry, nonfiction, art and photography each year. Each first-prize winner will receive $75, and second-prize winners $30. 
  • We accept submissions year-round, but have a deadline of January 15th each year, which we sometimes extend to February 1. After that, work will be considered for the following year's issue. Each issue is published in the Spring as part of the course, ENGL 2471.

Boars Tusk is a literary journal publishing poetry, fiction, nonfiction, artwork, and photography by Western Wyoming Community CollegeBoars Tusk students and residents of Sweetwater County. The journal provides a forum for students and community members to showcase their work and gives the journal's staff members hands-on experience in producing, editing, designing, and publicizing the journal, skills that will be valuable in the workplace.

Boars Tusk Issue

2025 Prize Winners

Krystal Carmine, First Prize Winner and Literary Editor, The Outlier of Identity

Sarah Schaeperkoetter, Second Prize Winner, Sculpted

Art

Whitney Keller, First and Second Prize Winner, The Ramen Shop and The Estate

McKynleigh Barney, Cover Artist, Way to Go!

Fiction

Kaitlyn McMullin, First Prize Winner, Study Abroad

Brittany Gomez, Second Prize Winner, Cosmic Wiener

Photography

Brittany Gomez, First Prize Winner, Echoing Release

Kristy Behnke, Second Prize Winner, Dream

Nonfiction

Mars Reece, First Prize Winner, I am a Poseur: The Punk Identity

Scott Varley, Second Prize Winner, The Bachelor’s Shack and Bottled Oxygen

 

2023-2024 Prize Winners

Fiction

2024
  • Brandon Finley, "Having a Hell of a Time," First Prize
  • Nyah Bowhay, "One More Year," Second Prize
2023
  • Cameron Ribordy, "What for Dessert," First Prize
  • Terri Thomas, "The Red Logo," Second Prize

Art

2024
  • Ariana Kuhn, "Golden Hour," First Prize
  • Allison Murray, "Little Guy" Second Prize
2023
  • Zach Birch, "Self Portrait," First Prize
  • Zach Birch, "A Coign of Vantage, Master Copy," Second Prize

Poetry

2024
  • Krystal Carmine, "It's 5pm in the grocery line and my uncertainty is eating me," First Prize
  • Aaron Petrich, "Recreating Destruction," Second Prize
2023
  • Madison Petty, "Water and Stone," First Prize
  • Carria Desmond, "Thinking Bird, Happy Song," Second Prize

Photography

2024
  • Ellie Croft, "Rows and Columns," First Prize
  • Emma Granthem, "North Shore," Second Prize
2023
  • Emilee Thomas, "Antics in Austin," First Prize
  • Emilee Thomas, "Isolation," Second Prize

Nonfiction

2024
  • Mya Boren, "Lessons in Death," First Prize
  • Jessica Lewis, "Not in Spite of My Struggles, But Because of Them, I Am Who I Am," Second Prize
2023
  • Ethan Nelson, "Impaired Driving: An Action with Dire Consequences," First Prize
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Boars Tusk 2022 Issue

Boars Tusk cover

2022 Prize Winners

Poetry
  • Zach Birch "Realization," First Prize
  • Myra Peak "Center of Gravity," Second Prize
Photography
  • Patricia Swan-Smith "Morning Pose," First Prize
  • Michele Irwin, "MT Land Acknowledgement," Second Prize
Fiction
  • Zach Birch "Stepping into Reality," First Prize
  • Patricia Swan-Smith "The Bird Feeder," Second Prize
Art
  • Abbie Barajas "Bella and Bessie," First Prize
  • Patricia Swan-Smith "The Bird Feeder," Second Prize
Nonfiction
  • Scott Varley "Romantic Ideal or Realistic Ordeal," First Prize
  • Duncan Elder "Sexual Orientation Does Not Contaminate Blood," Second Prize

Boars Tusk cover featuring a photo of a cliff overlooking waterBoars Tusk 2021 Issue 

2021 Prize Winners

Fiction
  • A. Balaskovits “Vivisection,” First Prize 
  • Joe Gibbs “The Hunter,” Second Prize
Artwork/Photography
  • Michele Irwin “Tanktaka,” First Prize
  • Kathryn Hoefler “Introspection,” Second Prize
Poetry
  • Brandon Marlo “WITH SCARS ON YOUR CHEEKS LIKE POMEGRANATE SEEDS AND VILLAGES OF FRECKLES OVER YOUR NOSE,” First Prize
  • Jon Howard “The Curse Record,” Second Prize
Nonfiction
  • Alexandrea Harper, “Raisins,” First Prize
  • Patricia Swan-Smith “A Vacation Guide for the Anxious Mind,” Second Prize

2020 Issue

The 2020 issue can be read at SweetwaterNow

2020 Prize Winners

Fiction
  • First Prize: Joe Gibbs, “The Harvester”
  • Second Prize: Savannah Walker, “The End of God”
Poetry
  • First Prize: Myra Peak, “The Road”
  • Second Prize: Joe Gibbs, “Life”
  • Honorable Mention: Savannah Walker, “The creatures in my bathtub”

Submit

Boar’s Tusk will be open for submissions from September 1 - January 15. Use our online Submissions Form or email us at boarstusk@westernwyoming.edu . Acceptances will be issued in March - April. We appreciate your patience.

Join our Editorial Team

  • To help edit Boars Tusk, register for English 2471, Literary Journal. The course can be taken for one or two credits.
  • Volunteer editors are also welcome. To volunteer, contact boarstusk@westernwyoming.eduor faculty advisor Michelle Zuppa at mzuppa@westernwyoming.edu